Description
Large enameled poissardes earrings in 18 karat rose gold (750). These substantial poissarde earrings are centered with a blue, green, and white enameled pansy, surrounded by a midnight blue enamel frieze punctuated with gold dots. The main motif is framed by two stars on a painted gold background. Poissardes, circa 1940/1950, from the Savoy region and Sardinia.
Did you know? Until 1860, Savoy was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, an independent state that included the Duchy of Savoy (Savoie and Haute-Savoie), the Principality of Piedmont, the County of Nice, the Duchy of Genoa and Sardinia. This state had several official languages: Savoie and the Aosta Valley were administered in French. Some of the inhabitants also spoke another language on a daily basis: Francoprovençal, also known as patois.
The Kingdom of Italy was founded in 1860 with French military support, in exchange for the annexation of Nice and Savoy.
Hallmark: Left-facing eagle head (French state hallmarks for 18-karat gold made between 1824-1860 in Savoy and Sardinia).
Dimensions: 47 mm x 19 mm
Condition: Slightly misaligned attachments, signs of wear.
Weight: 4.91 gr
To learn more about poissardes: Poissardes jewelry is believed to have originated from polished mussel shell earrings worn by fish vendors in the marketplaces. It served as a form of identification. Over time, the “shell” design evolved and became more refined, as did the material, transitioning from steel to gold. The Bressan enamels, a typical craft of Burgundy, were sold in sheets to jewelers all over France to create necklaces, earrings, bracelets, brooches, and more. For further insights into the jewelry from different French regions, we recommend the book “Les Bijoux Des Français” written by Michael C. W. Fieggen.
